


Changing Perspectives

by Icecat45



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Assumed Character Death, Blood, Eventual Smut, M/M, Plot Twists, Slow Build, Switching, Titan Eren Yeager, Titan Shifters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-07-10 07:10:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6972334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icecat45/pseuds/Icecat45
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi is Humanity's Strongest Soldier, but even Humanity's Strongest is not invincible. An expedition beyond the walls goes horribly wrong, leaving him stranded, alone and badly injured. He thinks its the end for him...</p>
<p>Until the unexpected happens, and his life is miraculously saved. When it is, Levi soon learns that humanity's war against the Titans is much less simple than it ever appeared to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Is this the end?

**Author's Note:**

> This is a canon divergence fic I've had in the works for quite a while, and I'm excited to finally post it! I hope all of you enjoy the first chapter. :)

_How did it come to this? How the ever-loving **fuck** did it come to this? _Levi wondered to himself as he rode through a forest that was unknown to him, far beyond the walls. He swayed in the saddle as he attempted to keep his seat, every bone in his body aching. His vision blurring from exhaustion and… Levi felt the wetness seeping through the torn left side of his shirt again. A familiar one. Levi didn’t have to look down, nor lift his hand from where it clutched his side to know that the wetness came from blood. _His_ blood.

Damn it, the scabs had torn open again.

And then Levi remembered once again, try as he might not to. He knew _exactly_ how he’d gotten in this mess.

It had all started with an expedition beyond the Walls. Taking the fight to the Titans, in the (seemingly vain) hope of re-claiming the lands beyond Wall Maria for humanity. That was what Levi did as a soldier in the Survey Corps. He, like every other soldier in the Corps, bravely went beyond the Walls to fight the Titans; humanity’s greatest enemy, who would tear down the Walls without a second thought if given half a chance. If an individual somehow survived, they came back as a hero to some, and part of an organization considered a drain on humanity’s resources to others. Or, more likely, they would come back as a corpse, given the notoriously high mortality rate of the Survey Corps.

Levi, of course, had not come back as a corpse from his first expedition. Nor his second, nor his third. At thirty-four, he’d survived many expeditions beyond the Walls. Many of them quite similar, all things considered. As such, there had initially been nothing out of the ordinary about this expedition. So, under the command of Erwin Smith, they had charged forth, hopeful that _this time_ , they would somehow make a true difference for humanity.

Until they had gotten beyond the Walls, of course. That was when things had been… different. And that was putting things lightly. The Corps had managed to journey far beyond the Walls, going deeper into uncharted territory than any previous expedition had been. While they did, things had been suspiciously quiet, as far as Titan attacks were concerned. In fact, they had only seen Titans from a great distance, and even those sightings had been few. Even stranger, was that none of the Titans spotted had made any move to attack. No monstrous footsteps had shaken the earth. No soldiers had screamed in agony at the moment of their deaths, being torn apart by ravenous giants. For a while, it had almost seemed like that would not happen on this expedition.

But things had been too good to be true. Of course they had. How could they not be, when this world was a harsh, cruel place?

Seemingly out of the blue, the formation had been set upon by a drove of Titans. Initially, the soldiers had rallied themselves into a battle formation, attempting to fight off the onslaught. Only to fail, miserably, as panic overtook them, attempting to do whatever they could to survive. A flare signaling retreat had gone up quickly, its meaning clear. Get out of there by any means necessary, and survive long enough to get back to the Walls. Which Levi had done, slaying any Titan who got in his way, while ignoring the pain of his wound. Then, once he’d gotten free, he’d mounted his horse, and ridden away from the carnage as fast as his horse could go. Before slowing his horse’s pace when he’d gotten far away.

Alone.

Not by his choice, of course. He’d been separated from his squad, his friends, when the retreat had been sounded. So that’s what he’d done, not knowing whether they were even alive at the time. Intent on surviving, hoping to be reunited with them, somehow.

As he still was. Though that hope was growing dimmer with each passing hour. On top of his wound, Levi’s gas tanks were empty, his blades were broken… and he was damn sure some of the straps on his harness had been severed, as well. He had been rendered weak, helpless… Just another meal for a Titan, should he be unlucky enough to encounter one. But this could have happened to anyone, really. Probably had, to some of the other soldiers fleeing from the “battle”.

Levi bore the title of “Humanity’s Strongest Soldier”, that much was true. But even Humanity’s Strongest was not invincible. He was, after all, still a man. A man who could bleed, and who was very much mortal.

A fact that he was very much aware of, as his vision blurred, causing him to sway in the saddle once more. _No. I have to stay awake. Have to stay alert… watch out for Titans…_

It was then that Levi lifted his hand from his wound, seeing how his hand was wet with blood in the evening light. Too much blood, he knew as he subsequently looked down at his shirt. Ah, so that explained why he was struggling to focus. If only that damn injury would stay closed… Not that that would help at all, if it got infected. Which it probably would out here, given his current lack of access to proper medical attention.

Then, Levi’s vision blurred again, and this time, he was powerless to stop what happened next. Unable to stop himself from leaning sideways more and more… until he fell from his saddle, hitting the ground like a sack of potatoes. Groaning in agony, his aches only made worse by the impact of the hard ground. No shame in vocalizing that he was in pain with only his horse to hear.

After a moment, Levi maneuvered himself on to his hands and knees, struggling with that simple action, his body protesting every movement. It became immediately apparent that he wouldn’t be getting back in the saddle any time soon. So he did the only thing he could, and crawled over to a nearby tree, sitting with his back against it when he reached it. Staring at the canopy of leaves far above him, and at the forest in front of him, while he reflected on a new set of thoughts.

The first, was that he’d been going in the wrong direction all this time. He’d been going farther _away_ from the safety of the Walls, not towards it, as he should have. Well, who could blame him? He’d been desperate to survive, the way everyone had been. Just how long had he been fleeing, anyway? Not long, he knew… but long enough to be lost, far from where he should be. Here he was, lost far beyond the Walls, with not a single other person around.

As for the friends he’d been separated from in that battle… had any of them survived? Given how the air had been filled with the screams of the dying, the odds of that were low. Like they were low for his own survival. But he could still hope, couldn’t he?

Levi’s vision grew blurrier, as the sun fell lower in the western sky. And then, he heard it. Felt it, too, with how the ground shook. Only the footsteps of a Titan could shake the earth in such a way. Soon, too soon, the Titan had found him. Gazing up through his blurred, darkening vision, Levi saw a monstrous hand begin to reach towards him… only to be withdrawn before it reached him.

That was fucking weird, but Levi didn’t have the energy to dwell on it. Fuck, this really was the end for him, wasn’t it?

Then the Titan moved, and kneeled before him, and… it almost looked like something was emerging from the nape of the Titan’s neck. Levi’s vision grew darker as this happened, and he did not have the energy to think about what it all meant.

Levi’s eyes finally closed, and the darkness took him.


	2. The Harsh Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finally managed to get this written. I hope you enjoy it...

Sometime in early afternoon, Levi opened his eyes. Something he thought he’d never do again, based on the last thing he’d seen before passing out. He should be dead right now. That much was obvious. Yet somehow, he was alive. Half-asleep and still in pain, but alive.

So Levi took in the unfamiliar surroundings he found himself in. That he was in a bed was obvious. From the wooden walls and floor, if Levi had to guess, he was in a cabin (or something close to it). Sunlight streamed through the window as well, giving the entire room a warm atmosphere. Illuminating the dressers, bookshelf, and other such furniture that occupied the room. It was almost as if someone lived here regularly, whoever they were. Wherever this was.

A fact made even more obvious when Levi rested his right hand on his stomach… only for it to come into contact with linen. From bandages that someone had clearly wrapped around his torso. Around the wound on his left side, which still ached horribly. But which had been tended to, and in all likelihood, _cleaned_ , as well. That was even more puzzling, because it surely meant someone had saved him.

But who? Who could have done such a thing, when he had been very much alone? Alone, and at the complete mercy of a Titan.

Levi’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorknob turning, and he turned to face it. To see the door open, and a young man with short, albeit messy, brown hair and green eyes walk in. Seventeen or eighteen, if Levi had to guess, and who immediately noticed he was awake. Who also watched him with concern… and a slight hint of distrust. Obvious, with how the young man’s movements were cautious, his expression guarded.

Could this really be the person who saved him?

When the stranger spoke, Levi focused on him. “Ah, you’re finally awake. With that wound, it’s a good thing I saved you in the forest.”

Levi’s eyes widened. “So I was right. You are the one who saved me.” Though how this kid had managed it, he didn’t know. Levi paused. “I don’t suppose you’d mind telling me your name. Or where the fuck we are.”

“It’s Eren.” Eren paused, as if considering his next words. “And we’re in the same place I found you. Beyond the Walls.”

_He can’t be serious, can he?_ That Eren had saved him was obvious enough, given that the tray Eren carried held an array of medical supplies, in addition to a small plate of freshly cut fruit. As for the other thing Eren said… there was no way such a thing could be true.

Well, there was no harm in asking. “You mean to tell me that you live out here, in the middle of Titan territory? And that you somehow managed to avoid being killed by one?” There was one more thing he’d forgotten to ask. “And for that matter, how the _fuck_ did you manage to slay a Titan to save me without a set of 3D Maneuver Gear?” Maybe Levi would end up being wrong about that last part. But so far, the likelihood of it seemed low, given the circumstances.

Still, Levi remembered the Titan. The last thing he saw before he’d fainted from his wounds. A Titan that Eren would have had to kill, in order to save him. That was simply how things worked, in this world.

Then, Eren shook his head slightly, his gaze hardening. “Yes, I live out here. In Titan territory, as you call it.” A brief pause. And then… “And I didn’t slay a Titan to save your life.”

_What the **fuck**? _ Levi raised an eyebrow. “Now you’re just lying. Really, you can’t seriously expect me to believe…”

Eren cut him off, his patience clearly worn out. “It’s because I _am_ the Titan who saved you!” He snapped, those green eyes sparking with anger.

“That’s even less believable. Humans can’t turn into Titans. And Titans certainly can’t become humans.” Such a thing was not possible, as far as Levi knew. After all, Titans were the enemies of humanity. Monsters like those could not possibly human.

At this, Eren slowly shook his head, closing his eyes when he did. “You know nothing about how the world really is, do you? How much has been hidden from you and the others living within the Walls.” If Levi heard it correctly, there was a hint of sadness in Eren’s voice. Even so, Levi knew enough to keep himself alive _outside_ of them. “What I said is true, you know. I can turn into a Titan, and back into a human again. And I’m not alone. All Titans possess that ability.”

All of this was too unbelievable, really. There was no way even a fraction of what Eren said could be true. If it were, or if all of it were true… then Levi didn’t know what he would do.

He was prepared to demand some sort of proof, opening his mouth to speak…

When Eren spoke first. “I can prove it to you, if you want.” The heat and fire seemed to have faded from Eren’s tone. Now, he seemed quiet. Almost contemplative.

“Go ahead and prove it, then.”

Eren turned his head, gesturing to the doorway. “I’ll have to show you outside, since I can’t shift in here. Not without destroying the whole cabin, anyway.”

Levi nodded. With how destructive Titans could be, it only made sense that shifting into one could be equally destructive. In theory, anyway. Turning in the bed, Levi sat up, then moved so that his legs hung over the edge. Then, he stood, and walked, grimacing with every movement. If the red spots slowly spreading on the bandages were any indication, he hadn’t been here long. Perhaps it was the day after Eren found him. For all he know, it was, given how his wound had re-opened.

Slowly, Levi made his way out the door, down a short hallway, and into the living and dining area. Before making his way out the front door of the cabin, which Eren had held open for him. Eren, who had also kept his pace slow, so that Levi might keep up with him. It was all very considerate, and Levi was grateful for it.

When Levi stepped outside, he took in his surroundings. The bright sunlight shining in the sky above the clearing where the cabin stood. The forest beyond, only a short distance away, where Eren had rescued him. And… Levi looked off to his right, seeing the log corral, and his horse lazily eating grass within it. Goodness, Eren had even saved his horse! It made him wonder about all of this. About why Eren had saved him.

But wondering about that would have to wait, for Eren walked past him. Making eye contact when he did. It was time, then. Time for Eren to prove the truth or falsehood of his words. Eren walked away to the edge of the clearing, standing at the edge of the forest. Then, he raised his right hand to his mouth… and bit down hard at the base of his thumb. Hard enough to break the skin and draw blood. The last Levi saw of Eren before a bolt of golden light descended from the sky and engulfed him.

Shortly after, the light faded… revealing a Titan in Eren’s place. A 15-meter class Titan, if he’d judged things correctly. The appearance of which was enough to make Humanity’s Strongest tremble in fear, unarmed and injured as he was. All he could do was take in the Titan’s – no, Eren’s – appearance, as Eren made no move towards him. The pointed ears. The wild mess of shaggy brown hair… The fierce green eyes… Memories from earlier, of the Titan he’d seen during what he’d believed was his last moment, slowly rising to the surface. Of that Titan’s appearance, merging with the appearance of the one before him.

_No… that can’t be… Eren… Could he really be telling the truth?_ As if in answer to his unspoken question, the Titan kneeled. Leaned forward, until its forehead pressed against the ground. Steam began to billow from the nape of the Titan’s neck, and… something began to emerge from the Titan’s body. The exact thing he’d seen in the evening, not knowing what it meant. But now, as Eren’s human form emerged from the steaming Titan corpse, he knew. _Oh_ , how he knew.

Levi dropped to his knees, powerless to stop such a thing from happening. Barely registering the sharp burst of pain from his injury. The truth was here before him, clear as day. Along with the all the implications it held. He’d slain Titans, doing his duty as a soldier… without ever realizing that all along, he’d been killing people. And no one had ever told him this! Did anyone know this? Know the truth of what they were doing?

Seeing Eren walk toward him, and confronted with the harsh truth of what he’d done, Levi raised his hands. Looked at them. They were clean, unblemished… Yet all Levi could see was the blood that stained them.


	3. A Titan's Musings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little overdue, because I originally planned on posting it last weekend. But I had a lot of work-related stuff to do, so that naturally took priority over writing fics. I'm back now, though, and I hope you enjoy this! :D

Having taken his Titan form, Eren towered over the soldier before him. Who’d demanded proof of it, after scoffing at the possibility of such a thing. A soldier from the Walls whose name he did not know. Eren had known it by the man’s clothing; a uniform he’d been taught well to recognize, along with the contraption that had been strapped to his body. Indeed, Eren knew that before him stood a man who had spent his time as a soldier killing Titans.

Killing them, without ever knowing that they were human, too. Along with being ignorant of how the world truly was.

Yet for all that, Eren had saved his life. Wounded, with his weapons broken, the soldier was clearly no threat to him. Saving his life was the right thing to do, even though they were technically enemies. Enemies, because of a war Eren did not fight. A war neither he nor any in his village fought.

Eren would dwell on all that later, though. He’d given his proof, after all, and tending to the soldier’s wounds in _this_ form was not ideal. Nimble and dexterous though his hands were in his Titan form, they were far too large for the delicate task of tending to a human’s injuries.

So he guided the Titan body to kneel, and emerged from the nape of the neck once he’d pressed his head to the ground. A task that was as easy as breathing, once he’d gotten the hang of it. Then, he slid down off the steaming flesh of his Titan body, one that would be gone soon enough. When Eren’s feet touched the ground, he walked through the cloud of steam, taking in the sight of the soldier once he emerged from it…

And paused, at the sight that lay before him. The soldier had dropped to his knees, staring at his hands. It was the emotions laid bare on the man’s face that truly held Eren’s attention. Shock… horror… and guilt. Guilt, most of all. For what he realized he’d done, Eren knew. How could it be anything else, after what the soldier had just seen? Just _learned_? That he’d undoubtedly taken innocent lives, without ever knowing it. Innocent lives were always lost in wars…

In that moment, Eren felt his perception of the soldier begin to soften. What distrust and wariness he held begin to fade. Perhaps he should have expected this; after all, the man’s reaction to initially hearing that Eren was a Titan had been surprisingly calm, all things considered. And… nothing he’d said had been _cruel_ … In fact, Eren might even say he was kind. The extent of that truth was yet to be revealed, of course.

But after seeing the soldier’s reaction, Eren had hope that this would turn out for the better. His decision to save this stranger’s life, and whatever would happen because of it. Taking care of him, too, nursing him back to health…

Which Eren knew he really ought to continue doing. So, without hesitation, that was he did.

Walking over, Eren kneeled near the soldier’s right side, and draped the other man’s right arm over his shoulders. Then, Eren stood slowly, to minimize the amount of pain such movements cause. Of which there undoubtedly was, given how deep and large the wound on his side was. Cleaned regularly and bandaged as it was, the odds of it getting infected were extremely low, Eren knew. Especially with how diligent Eren knew his continued care would be.

With that, Eren slowly walked back inside the cabin that served as his own personal retreat. One he’d fixed up himself, and where he liked to go to relax. Spend time alone, in the peaceful quiet of the forest. Making sure he did not aggravate the other – older, too – man’s injury as the man’s steps matched his own. Clearly, his mind was still frantically turning over what he’d just learned, if his facial expression was anything to go by. But… there was also a hint of confusion, too. As if the soldier wondered why he was being helped; by a Titan, no less.

To Eren, that answer lay plain in his mind, as clear as day. An answer Eren would give, if it were ever asked of him.

Soon enough, the two of them walked into the bedroom once more. When they did, they did not stop until they reached the bed. Through the haze of exhaustion that gripped him, coupled with the ache of his injury and his racing thoughts, Levi felt Eren help him onto the bed. Allowed himself to be helped, while at the same time wondering why this was happening. Why was Eren taking care of him, and treating his injuries? For that matter, why had Eren saved him in the first place? That he was even alive was a relief and a miracle in and of itself.

Even so, Levi couldn’t help wondering why all of this was happening.

Wondering about it would have to wait, though. Right now, all Levi wanted to do was sleep… Rest, and maybe, just maybe, figure out why the world was as it was. Along with figuring out why Eren had saved his life. With those thoughts in mind, Levi allowed sleep to take him once more.

While Eren watched over him closely, taking every step to ensure the comfort of the man he cared for. He did not know the soldier’s name yet. But he wanted to, and briefly wondered why he hadn’t thought to ask the man before. Other things had been on Eren’s mind, however, so he couldn’t berate himself for forgetting. And the two of them were still here, so perhaps he could simply ask whenever the man woke up.

Yes, that’s what Eren would do. After all, it wouldn’t do to keep referring to the man by some sort of title when he clearly had a name.

It would be a few days until Eren had to return to his village, so that his friends and family would not worry over him. As they undoubtedly would, should he remain gone for too long. This time, however, Eren knew his return would be a short one. Much as he wanted to stay longer, he knew he couldn’t, because caring for the soldier took priority. Bringing the injured man back to his home would solve the issue of leaving him alone and un-cared for.

Though it wasn’t to be considered. Not now, anyway. The others in Eren’s village held a natural distrust of any soldiers from the Walls. Until that was no longer the case, Eren knew he had to keep his actions a secret. Thankfully, he had a few days to spare, and a sharp mind.

He would think of something. That much, he knew.


End file.
